State of Connecticut Judicial Branch
ID Number: 408485
Since 1993
State Bar of Georgia
ID Number: 522766
Since 2018
New York State Office of Court Administration
ID Number: 1890664
Since 1983
Since 1984
Since 2019
ID Number: SB9096
Since 1984
Since 1993
2019 - Current
Becker Law LLC
• Represent freelancers, startups, and small- and medium-sized businesses in Georgia, New York, and Connecticut in connection with everything they might need during the business cycle, including helping protect the intellectual property in their idea or business concept, assisting with forming and launching their business, and drafting clear, plain-language contracts governing relationships with their employees, customers and vendors as their business matures. • Services include forming or expanding a business, reviewing, developing and negotiating contracts, registering trademarks or copyrights, and providing advice and counsel with respect to exploiting and protecting intellectual property.
1992 - 2018
Canon U.S.A., Inc.
• Director and Associate General Counsel of a leading global provider of consumer. business to business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. Canon USA, Inc. is a $10+ billion subsidiary of Canon Inc., a global technology and imaging equipment conglomerate with annual revenue exceeding $45 billion. • Counseled manufacturing and retail subsidiaries throughout the Americas, as well as product, sales and administrative divisions including IT, Finance and Accounting, HR, Compliance and Properties and Risk Management. • Reviewed, negotiated, structured and drafted complex commercial agreements for Canon Americas' business units. • Developed channel agreements for new product offerings to distributors, dealers, systems integrators, and VARS • including, among others, NDAs, vendor agreements, procurement agreements, sales agreements, licensing agreements and manufacturing agreements. • Developed/conducted preventative legal education training, including creation of policies/guidelines/ seminars. • Managed bankruptcy and collections function for company and United States subsidiaries. • Managed records management department for company and United States subsidiaries. • Hired, managed and supervised external counsel in connection with Company and subsidiary litigation. • Recruited and supervised staff of attorneys, support staff, and other professionals as Company's first in-house counsel. • Initiated and oversaw the implementation of matter management software to help manage the legal department's workflow and company contracts. • Served as counsel for multi-billion-dollar Computer Peripheral Products Division. • Worked closely with Canon Inc. in Japan and with global affiliates in Europe and Asia.
1990 - 1992
The Computer Factory, Inc.
• General Counsel for NYSE national computer products retailer and franchisor • Counseled and provided strategic legal advice to company on issues concerning dealers, distribution and franchising, advertising, marketing, credit and collections, trade practices, real estate, and employment • Drafted, negotiated and reviewed complex commercial agreements, including all asset sale agreements in connection with sale of company. • Managed company litigation, outside counsel, and collections.
1984 - 1990
Carvel Corporation
• Advised national franchisor in the areas of franchising, trademarks, licensing, bankruptcy, antitrust, and litigation. • Conducted and oversaw state and federal commercial litigation in-house, including preparing pleadings, conducting depositions and other discovery, preparing motions and briefs, arguing motions and appeals, and supervising outside litigation counsel. • Tried local cases and served as second chair in major national commercial cases. • Reported decisions: Carvel Corp. v. Rail, 503 N.Y.S. 406 (2d Dept., 1986); Carvel Corp. v. Irvolino, 503 N.Y.S. 2d 537 (2d Dept., 1986) (cases of first impression in NY construing restrictive covenants in franchise agreements); Carvel Corp. v. Piacente, 556 N.Y.S. 2d 301 (2d Dept., 1990) • Created and administered franchise disclosure documents nationwide. • Handled franchise transfer, terminations, and real estate acquisitions, sales and leases.
1982 - 1984
Goodhue Lange Banks & Arons
General practice with emphasis on real estate, litigation, and municipal law.
1979 - 1982
J.D. (1982) | Law
Honors: Member of Editorial Board of Pace Law Review
1974 - 1978
B.A. (1978) | Biology (Pre-Med)
Honors: Graduated with Honors
Civil Appeals, Federal Appeals
Business Contracts, Business Dissolution, Business Finance, Business Formation, Business Litigation, Franchising, Mergers & Acquisitions, Partnership & Shareholder Disputes
Trademark Litigation, Trademark Registration
